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Drinking water quality

We test water quality at our major storage reservoirs once it has been through the primary treatment process. Results are used to provide a typical analysis of Melbourne's water quality, which is based on data from the previous five years.

Typical analysis of Melbourne's water

Last update: July 2016

Please note:

all parameters are measured in milligrams per litre unless otherwise noted

values are rounded to the nearest decimal point

​Parameter/ source

Cardinia

Greenvale

Silvan

Winneke

Tarago​

Yan Yean​

pH (units)​

7.2-7.7

7.2-8.8

7.0-7.7

7.0-7.5

6.7-7.5

7.3-9.4

Colour (Pt/Co)​

7​

6​

13​

20

51

13

Turbidity​ (NTU)

0.6-1.8

0.7-2.5

0.55-1.3

0.45-5.5

1.1-6.5

0.7-3.7

Specific conductance (uS/cm)​

45-57

59-81

38-52

74-120

100-120

170-260

Iron

0.06​

0.098

0.07​

​0.16

​0.52

​0.13

Manganese

​0.003

​0.003

​0.005

​0.006

0.039

0.007

Fluoride​

0.8

0.9

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

Aluminium - acid soluble​

0.02​

0.03

​0.04

0.3

0.04

0.02

Arsenic​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

Boron​

<0.05​

<0.05​

<0.05​

<0.05​

<0.05​

<0.05​

Bromide​

<0.05​

-

<0.05​

-

-

-​

Cadmium​

<0.0005

<0.0005​

<0.0005

<0.0005​

<0.0005

<0.0005

Calcium​

4.4​

4.3

3.8

2.3

13.7

8.1​

Chloride​

7.1​

9.4

6.9

16.8

22.3​

21.5​

Chromium

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

Copper​

<0.001​

0.02​

0.16​

<0.001​

<0.001

<0.01

Cyanide​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

Haloacetic acids:​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

- Chloroacetic acid​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

<0.005​

- Dichloroacetic acid​

0.007

0.004

0.03

0.008​

0.008

0.001

- Trichloroacetic acid​

0.007

0.005

0.02

0.007

0.007

0.006​

Hardness​

16​

​17

​14.25

​45

18

​31

Lead​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

Magnesium​

1.4​

1.6​

1.2​

2.6​

2.6

2.6

Mercury​

<0.0001​

​<0.0001

<0.0001

​<0.0001

<0.0001

<0.0001

Nickel​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

Nitrate​

7.4

0.13

0.23

0.38

0.32

0.05​

Potassium​

0.7​

0.8

0.7​

1.4

2.3

1.4

Selenium​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

<0.002​

Silica as SIO2​

4.5​

5.4

5.9

3.7

8.4

2.2​

Sodium​

4.7

5.6

4.5

10

13

10.9​

Sulphate​

0.4

0.7

<2

11.3

16

13.25​

Total alkalinity as CaCO3​

11.6

11.2

9.3

9.4

15.3​​

12.5​

Total organic carbon​

2.2

2.0

2.1

3.2

5.4

6.4​

Total phosphorus​

0.007​

0.007

0.007

0.008

0.004​

0.009

Total dissolved solids​

39​

42

34

20

69

82​

Total trihalomethanes

0.032

0.018

0.022

<0.001

<0.001

0.046​

Zinc​

<0.01​

<0.01​

<0.01​

<0.01​​

<0.01​

<0.01​

Our Water Quality Annual Report (previously Annual Report to the Department of Health) provides a comprehensive account of drinking water quality issues for each financial year.

Yearly summaries of water quality data specific to your region are available from your local water retail company.

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